Education Week staff writer Evie Blad explores some of the nonacademic issues that bear on students’ learning. Join her for insights, news, and analysis on a wide range of issues including school climate, student engagement, children’s well-being, and student behavior and discipline.

Grants Will Help Identify Effective School Safety and Climate Measures

The federal government wants to know what kind of school safety programs work and why. To achieve that, the National Institute of Justice (under the Department of Justice), is awarding up to $47 million worth in grants to fund both the implementation and study of school safety programs. The institute is asking schools and research organizations to team up, write proposals, and apply for the money.

For example, the institute might fund a proposal for a district to hire more school resource officers so the partnering research organization can study whether the officers help lower school violence. On its website, the NIJ says it is especially interested in how mental health services and school climate and culture programs affect school safety.

The awards will likely range from $500,000 to $5 million. The money is only available to local education agencies, public charter schools recognized as local education agencies, and state education agencies.

The end goal is to identify successful programs that the institute will use to help develop what it calls a "comprehensive school safety model."

The deadline to apply is July 10, 2014.

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